Kind-Hearted Humans Adopt Future Dogs Of War

Officials with the Department of Defense Military Working Dog Center at the Air Force base recently brought seven cute Belgian Malinois and Dutch shepherd puppies to families in Fort Hood who will serve as foster parents to the pups for seven months. Once these puppies are 7 months old, they will return to Lackland and enter into a military program which will prepare them for their future jobs.

Tracy Cann, breeding program foster consultant for the Department of Defense Military Working Dog Center at Lackland, explained
that dogs need to interact with humans from puppyhood so they would be able to properly fulfill their tasks in the military.

“If they grow up in kennels they’re not environmentally solid. They’re scared of people or aggressive toward people. When they grow up with a family, they’re environmentally stimulated in a variety of areas, so they come back ready to work.”

Sarah Clark, a former military police officer in the Army, adopted a a Belgian Malionois named Ggwendolyn and told the Killeen Daily Herald that she had fostered military pups in the past.

“It’s hard to give them back when it’s time because you do get attached. I know, though, that they go to a better place where they are needed and they have a job to do. They take care of soldiers. So, it’s worth it.”

Renae Johnson, who helps find families to foster the pups, also adopted a dog and feels unbelievably proud knowing that her pooch would do great things for her country.

“I’ve been able to raise a puppy and see him grow into a working dog, deploy and do all of these amazing things. It’s just like, ‘Wow, that was my dog.’”

However, she agreed with Clark that it is very hard to say goodbye to your pup at seven months.

“What happens is you love the dog, and you love him so much, but at seven months you can’t stimulate their minds and physical needs enough. At that point, it’s like ‘I love you, but it’s time for you to go to work now.’”